Australian members of the Field Surgical Team Heavy (FST HY) at work in a ward of the military ...

Australian members of the Field Surgical Team Heavy (FST HY) at work in a ward of the military hospital established by the Australian Army's 1st Field Hospital (1 Fd Hosp), in the grounds of the Dili museum. Left to right: Sergeant Johnson; Squadron Leader J E Woodwell, RAAF (background); Corporal (Cpl) Peak; Cpl Sheehy (background): and Flight Officer O'Leary, RAAF (background). An East Timorese patient is sitting on a bed in the foreground. The role of FST HY, which includes Australian medical staff, is to provide medical support to International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) personnel and high priority cases from the East Timorese population. Following the overwhelming vote for independence by the East Timorese on 30 August 1999 in the United Nations (UN) sponsored referendum, the pro-Indonesian militia launched a campaign of destruction, arson and murder, killing approximately 1500 people and forcing 300 000 others into West Timor as refugees. On 15 September, the UN issued a resolution, calling for a multinational force to restore peace and security and facilitate humanitarian assistance operations. By 20 September 1999, the first coalition force began deploying to East Timor as part of INTERFET.